Method of making c clamps



J. BABITT METHOD OF MAKING GCLAMPS Aug 31, 1-926.

Filed June 1, 1925 Fatented Aug. 31, 1926.

JOSEPH BABITT, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Application filed June 1, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in C-clamps and the method of manufacturing the same, the primary object being to so construct clamps of this type as to give them long life, materially increase their strength, and at the same time reduce the cost of and speed up production.

It is likewise an object to materially change and improve the method of manufacturing C-clamps.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and detailed description based thereon, pointed out the preferred embodiment of the same.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete clamp constructed in accordance with my invention Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bar of Tiron from which my clamp is formed; and

Figures 3 to 9 inclusive illustrate the effects of certain successive operations on a bar of T-iron in the completion of a clamp frame.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts throughout.

The usual C-clamp is formed of malleable iron and requires many days of treatment before it is ready for use. The relatively tedious method employed in manufacturing such clamps obviously means high cost of production and consequently exorbitant prices to the ultimate purchaser and user. Further, these clamps have a short life, having a strong tendency to buckle or bend even under ordinary strain. Thousands of these malleable iron clamps are junked each year solely because of "the above fault. Certain efforts have been directed toward overcoming objections to the malleable iron clamp and one illustration is that embodiment in Patent #1,319,717 dated October 28, 1919 in which cold rolled T-iron is employed. This metal offers materially greater resistance to a tendency toward buckling or bending than does the ordinary malleable iron clamp. 1

A structure such as I illustrate and describe in this application overcomes the faults stated and permits rapid production. Preferably I use cold rolled T-iron as shown KII G- C CLAEIPS.

Serial No. 34,059.

in Figure 2 and cut from a long bar a length sufficient to form the frame of a clamp. One end of this bar is cut at right angles to the body portion while the other end which ultimately forms the base bearing of the frame is cut on a bias or at an acute angle to said body.

In forming a journal or eye 15 in which the screw 10 is threaded, I slit the bar 11 longitudinally from the right angularly cut end at the juncture of the base flange 12 and the upright rib 13. with this slitting operation a die is moved to bend the tongue or free portion 14 of the rib to substantially the positionindicated in Figure Immediately following this step I roll the tongue or free portion 14t to com pletely form an eye or journal 15 thereby leaving an extended or surplus portion 16 on the base flange 12. A cutter and punch, drill orthe like tool are now employed to simultaneously cut off the surplus or extended end 16 to effect a structure as shown in Figure 6 and to form an opening 17 in the base port-ion 12. This opening 17 is alined with the opening 18 which has been previously formed through the bending or rolling operation. The two alined openings are now threaded or tapped in any preferred manner for the reception of the clamp screw 10. A base bearing a lower jaw 19 of unusual strength is formed through offsetting the end portion 20 which is cut on a bias, this being clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9. The next step is to bend the end portions into substantially parallel relation as shown in Figure 9, this being effected through any suitable shaping device. With attachment of the screw 10, the structure is complete.

It is quite clear that a G-clamp constructed from cold rolled T-iron as herein described will stand up under considerable strain, and further, may be produced quite rapidly and at a relatively low cost. As sembly of the clamp is simplified there be ing only one element employed in building up the clamp frame itself.

Manifestly, certain changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to,

and such of these changes as may fall within the scope of the appended claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of making a clamp from a bar of T-iron including a base flange and a rib, consisting of separating the flange and Simultaneously rib at one end, rolling the rib to form an eye, forming an opening in the base alined with said eye, internally tapping or therading the eye and opening, and bending the bar to the desired shape.

2. The method of making a clamp from a bar of T-iron including a base flange and a rib consisting of separating the flange and rib at one end, rolling the rib to form an eye, forming an opening in the base flange alined with said eye, internally tapping or threading the eye, offsetting the other end, and bending the opposite ends in the same direc tion and substantially into parallel relation.

3. The method of making a clamp from a bar of T-iron including a base flange and a rib consisting of separating the flange and rib at one end, rolling the rib to form an eye, simultaneously removing the extended portion of the base flange and forming an opening in the base alined with said eye, internally tapping or threading the eye and opening, and bending the bar to the desired shape.

4. The method of making a clamp from a bar of T-iron including a base flange and a rib consisting of separating the flanges and rib at one end and simultaneously bending the rib to partially form an eye, rolling the rib to complete the eye, removing the extended base portion and simultaneously forming an opening in the base flange alined with said eye, tapping or threading the eye and opening, and shaping said bar.

5. The method of making a clamp from a bar of T-iron including a base flange and a rib consisting of separating the flange and rib at one end and simultaneously bending the rib to partially form an eye, rolling the rib to complete the eye, removing the extended base portion and sin'iultaneously forming an opening in the base flange alined with said eye, tapping or threading the eye and opening, oil'setting the other end of said bar, and bending said ends in the same direction and substantially into parallel relation.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature.

JOSEPH BABITT. 

